Chennai: MUTA Demands PhD Guideship for 100 Professors

Highlights:
The Association also demanded the Vice-Chancellor of Madras University to take a stand on the issue as the teachers cannot be given the role of guiding M.Phil and PhD scholars in the probation period.

The Madras University Teachers’ Association (MUTA) staged a protest on November 3, 2016, and demanded to grant PhD guideship to 100 professors who were recruited three years ago. According to sources, the university has been losing its revenue from student fees, who could have been guided by these professors in their research. The protest took place from 1.00 PM to 2.00 PM at the Chepauk Campus.

G. Raveendran, General Secretary of MUTA, mentioned that a combination of factors had led to the current state of affairs where the faculty members were unable to guide research scholars in Madras University. These faculty members are on probation, and MUTA demanded that these teachers must be absorbed as permanent faculty. The Association also demanded the Vice-Chancellor of Madras University to take a stand on the issue as the teachers cannot be given the role of guiding M.Phil and PhD scholars in the probation period.

One of the members of MUTA indicated that the Vice-Chancellor has failed to resolve various issues addressed by the association earlier.

MUTA also demanded a white paper on the university's finances during the last three years. MUTA has alleged that there have been irregularities in appointing college representatives. They demanded better amenities for students and teachers on the university campus in Chepauk.

Recently, a teachers’ association in Maharashtra also demanded the government to appoint permanent faculty for colleges. They mentioned that the teachers who have been working on the contractual basis for the past two years must be absorbed as regular faculty with certain statutory norms.